5 Weird Things Stress Is Doing To Your Body

Did you know you lose 1% of your height between the time you get up in the morning and the time you go to bed? That's strange enough. But thanks to job stress, that shrinkage is even greater on workdays, says Swiss research.

How come? When you're upright, gravity and motion squeeze fluid from between the vertebrae of your spine. And stress creates muscle tension in your shoulders and back that forces out even more fluid than usual, making you shorter, the study authors explain.

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But that's not the only weird way work stress messes with your body...

It also makes your ears ring
In a Swedish study, men were 39% more likely to report hearing loss or ringing when faced with the stress of having to change jobs. The reason: Stress and anxiety hormones appear to cause harmful stimulation within your ear's cochlear receptors, the study authors say.

MORE: Smash Your Stress

And your skin itch
When your boss has you working like a dog, it can trigger unusual activity in the parts of your brain related to "central itch control". That can lead to itchiness, rashes, or other skin conditions, finds a European review study.

It shrinks your brain, too
According to Yale University research, stress ups the presence of proteins that slow or shut down your brain's ability to grow synapses, which are the junctions where neurons exchange messages. This leads to a loss of mass in your brain's prefrontal cortex—the part of your noodle involved in decision making. This stress-induced brain shrinkage may even be related to dementia or Alzheimer's disease, the researchers say.

And it gives you a stomachache
Brain-gut interactions aren't well understood. But stress hormones appear to over-stimulate the areas of the brain responsible for intestine regulation, which can lead to nausea and stomach irritation, shows research from UCLA.

MORE: 19 Ways to Live a Stress-Free Life

This article '5 Weird Things Stress Is Doing To Your Body' originally ran on MensHealth.com.

Feel constantly overloaded on the job and at home? Try these 52 Ways to Chase Stress Away—and keep your body and brain as healthy as ever.

Markham HeidMarkham Heid is an experienced health reporter and writer, has contributed to outlets like TIME, Men’s Health, and Everyday Health, and has received reporting awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Maryland, Delaware, and D.C.